Tusculum finishes top-25 nationally in Make-A-Wish fundraising for second straight year

Tusculum finishes top-25 nationally in Make-A-Wish fundraising for second straight year

INDIANAPOLIS --- The totals are all in and the Tusculum University athletic department finished 22nd in the nation in monies raised for the Make-A-Wish Foundation during the 2017-18 academic year. 

Tusculum raised a school-record $5,200 for the nonprofit organization which was second in the South Atlantic Conference and fourth-most in the Southeast Region.  The South Atlantic Conference raised $32,844.73 which was the fourth-most of the 24 NCAA Division II conferences.

Tusculum's efforts are led on campus by the Pioneer Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (PSAAC).

TU finishes in the top-25 nationally in Make-A-Wish contributions for a second straight year, after finishing 25th during the 2016-17 academic year with its $5,000 total.

Jenna Restivo, graduate assistant for the TU athletic department, led the group's efforts last year and credits the success to the PSAAC members and the local community.

"We were very fortunate to have good leadership in PSAAC President Ellie Tomassoni and others in the group to take an aggressive approach to our fundraising," said Restivo.  "I have full confidence in this year's PSAAC leadership to surpass what Tusculum accomplished last year and I am excited to work with the group again.

Tusculum's efforts help lead the NCAA to raise $474,000 dollars last year. In total the NCAA Division II has raised over $5.7 million dollars since 2003, impacting more than 697 kids across the country with life-threatening medical conditions.

The national average wish cost is $10,000 and to be eligible for a wish, a child with a life-threatening medical condition who is between the ages of 2 ½ years old and younger than 18 at the time of referral is potentially eligible for being granted a wish by the foundation.

If you would like to donate to the Make-A-Wish foundation, do so by donating to the Tusculum PSAAC committee. Find more information on www.TusculumPioneers.com under the "INSIDE ATHLETICS" tab and clicking "PSAAC" or by contacting Tusculum Athletics at 423-636-7323 for more information.

If you would like to mail in your donation, please do so by sending it to Tusculum University Athletics ATTN: PSAAC at 60 Shiloh Road, PO Box 5090, Greeneville TN, 37743.